Year 2, Day 8: 5 November 2013

 The work today centered on completing the outer layer of gang forms on the east and south walls in preparation for the next round of concrete pouring. 

Installation of a metal form for another of the arches seen in other
sections of the building is completed along the south wall.

The metal form in the previous picture is covered with plywood
as the gang forms are put in place. 

Year 2, Day 5: 2 November 2013

The concrete was poured for the top section of the north and west walls today; the east and south walls should be poured in a few days, weather permitting. At this point, the goal is to get the roof on within the next couple of weeks so that the inside work can proceed when winter arrives. 

The concrete pump arrived early this morning.
Farwell was closed to traffic, but crowded with parked vehicles
since there was such a large crew on the job today. 

This picture gives some indication of the height of the roof.
The point where the rebar is more dense and
bent at a 90-degree angle is where the roof will eventually be;
the top few feet (where the rebar is less dense)
will be a half-wall rising above the surface of the roof.

Awaiting the arrival of the first cement truck.

The cement truck arrives, and the crane is raised
to prepare to pump concrete into the walls.

At the south end of the site,
a section of floor was also poured.

Bringing lumber up to the work area

The crane is very versatile in its ability to reach
different areas of the worksite.

Pouring the north wall.

Meanwhile, back at the south end.

At the end of the day, the newly poured concrete was covered
and left to cure. In the past, the coverings have looked almost like
quilted blankets filled with cotton batting; but these heavier black covers
were used today, perhaps to accelerate the curing process,
which takes longer in the colder weather.

Finally, here is my favorite shot of the day.

Year 2, Day 4: 1 November 2013

I didn't have time to take many pictures today, but here are a few that i got on my way out this morning. The heavy rain has slowed things down this week, but things were bustling today, and i suspect that there could be another visit from the cement trucks tomorrow.

Year 2, Day 1: 29 October 2013

Happy 1st Anniversary, Substation; Happy 1st Birthday, Blog!

On this date in 2012, work on the substation "officially" began. There were a few busy days, replacing the long armatures on the streetlights (seen in the picture below) with shorter ones to accommodate all the equipment that was needed for the job, and chopping down the ailanthus trees, which were admittedly scruffy looking, but which provided shade, privacy, buffering of the noise from the L, and endless hours of entertainment watching the squirrel circus. Due to some kind of bureaucratic issues or other, the actual work did not, however, begin until more than two months later, on 9 January 2013. 

29 October 2012

29 October 2013

And now a personal note:

Dear Substation,

Well, here we are still together after one full year. I must admit that i would not have chosen to spend the last year with you of my own free will: this was an arranged marriage, and i had no say in the matter. And i confess that i did consider leaving you last summer. You aren't always the best partner; you never seem to consider me when you decide to invite all your friends over for the weekend, keeping all the lights ablaze and making an ungodly racket. But just the same, i've stuck by you, enjoying the fact that life is never dull around here since you came to stay. I've enjoyed seeing how you've changed with each passing day, and i am still trusting that you will keep your promise to eventually make my life better by standing between me and the noise of the passing trains. In the meantime, chocolates make a nice anniversary gift.

Love,

Ms. Demeanor

Day 365: 28 October 2013

On this, the last day of Year One in the substation project, more cement was poured. Unfortunately, all i witnessed of it was the arrival of the cement pumping truck this morning; i didn't return until after dark, so i won't be able to see the results until tomorrow morning.

Day 364: 27 October 2013

I rarely if ever post pictures of the southernmost part of the substation. This is primarily for logistical reasons: to get pictures of this part of the project, i have to walk down the horrible narrow passageway between the buildings and construction fence, a walk i prefer to avoid whenever possible. But since it is a peaceful, sunny Sunday, and the construction site is in repose until tomorrow morning, this seemed like a good opportunity to show what this end of the building looks like.

Arched entranceway on the south wall of the substation.

Two arches near the southern end of the substation. These arches have appeared
in many other pictures posted here, but this is a good closeup taken from ground level.

Day 363: 26 October 2013

Another busy Saturday as the forms for the upper walls continue to take shape.

The view from the platform of the Morse Red Line station,
one block north of the substation.

The upper end of the worksite as seen from a southbound Red Line train.

The lower end of the worksite as seen from a southbound Red Line train.